Chance on You (Pub 4)

21 - Pool

Isla felt unsure about Leo traveling. "What if there's another injury?"

Calmly, Leo said, "I'll write a note giving you permission to bring them for medical care."

Leo had to complete forms before they left the hospital with Cody. The boy's stitches were out, and he was back to riding his bike. Lilli was engaged and planning a wedding for the following summer. Isla thought she would have been in a bigger hurry to get married. Marriage was the catalyst for leaving Philly, but it was still a foreign concept. Even the books she read didn't fill in the blanks. The more she read about men and women together, the more confused she became. Sometimes Leo's maleness excited her insides just like the words in the books.

The day before Leo left for California, Lilli and Zach came over. Zach's job was to help set up the pool while Lilli took Isla shopping.

Isla's eyes couldn't look away from the diamond on Lilli's finger while she drove. "Zach said no one knows about you at work."

Lilli laughed. "Leo's assistant feels bad for Zach because I'm engaged before him."

"But who does she think you are engaged to?" Isla thought it was more entertaining than the novels Helen gave her.

"She assumes someone from my hometown, because I was engaged on the beach and our wedding will be there."

"But you are lying?" The real world was full of gray. Isla liked black and white.

Lilli shook her head. "I haven't told her anything. She makes up stories. The truth will come out. Zach's good friend JJ has a wager going on how long it will take. For a small office, we keep things private. Zach's uncle owns the agency, and it isn't common knowledge."

"Is Leo private?" Why had she asked?

Lilli turned to her and smiled. "About everything except his kids. Zach and I are pretty close with him, and we don't know his story."

Isla turned abruptly. "What story?"

"You know why he moved and why he has full custody."

Isla didn't know those answers, except the mention of his wife made him sad. "I don't know."

"Maybe he'll visit with her when he's in California. It's a joke around the office that he can't keep a nanny."

The sour in her stomach dissipated. "Do they know about me?"

Lilli chuckled. "The teasing has died down." The car stopped and Lilli turned to her. "I'm guessing a bikini is not your style." Isla gasped. "Don't worry. Modest but modern, some may say impossible, but not for Lilli Caron."

"Your name is changing." Isla would like a new identity.

"I'm not changing it. I might hyphenate it. Lillian Caron-Steele. Sounds successful."

"Don't you want to have children?"

"Definitely, but not right away. Daycare is expensive."

Isla didn't understand leaving a child with strangers in order to work. Maybe because her job was caring for children.

"Come on. When was your last swim suit?"

"When I was a teen."

Lilli shook her head. "Were you living in a cave?"

Isla chuckled. "Not a cave."

"I'm teasing. You and Leo make a good pair, both secretive about your past."

"Pair! I work for him." Isla argued.

"I didn't mean it like that, but seriously why not? Look, here are the suits."